We are having a cold snap here in Virginia and I have to tell you, I am ready for spring! Spring is one of my favorite seasons for many reasons. I love the rebirth of flowers that have been laying dormant throughout the winter. Trees come to life in a colorful rebirth. And of course the average temperature throughout the day gets warmer. With the onset of spring I know summer is not far away.
Hopefully your science curriculum has placed the topic of life cycles during the springtime months. It is always easy to grow plants in the spring versus the wintertime (unless you have a greenhouse). Today’s free lesson comes from an upcoming preschool science unit that will be released sometime this summer (be on the lookout! ). I will be releasing both a public school version and a version for Christian Schools (spring is a great time to connect to the topic of resurrections).
Today’s free lesson combines science with art. This activity is good for fine motor developing and to have your young scientist practice sequencing/putting things in order.
Here is what you need:
- Life Cycle Cut and Color Sheet
- Green Construction Paper (enough to make a green band wide enough to go around each budding scientist’s head)
- Glue
- Scissors
- Life Cycle Book (coming soon!)
Here is what you do:
Have the children color the plant life cycle of butterfly life cycle before cutting out (easier). Read a book on life cycles and talk to your budding scientist about how living things, both plants and animals, have a life cycle. A life cycle shows the series of changes in the life of a plant or animal (organisms) as they grow and develop. Each stage has a specific purpose for the life of the plant or the animal. For example, in the caterpillar stage, the main goal is for the caterpillar to eat, and eat, and eat. It takes a lot of energy for a caterpillar to transform into a butterfly. Be sure and explain to children how a life cycle is a pattern of growth and development. This is important! By linking the topic of life cycles to patterns, they can begin to identify other patterns in nature (weather patterns, patterns on a butterfly’s wing).
I hope you enjoy this free lesson and have fun being creative with your budding scientists!
